Type of high school (or current college for transfers):
Other special factors: Moved from Georgia to Texas in 10th grade
Cost Constraints / Budget (High school students: please get a budget from your parents and use the Net Price Calculators on the web sites of colleges of interest.)
Intended Major(s)
Computer Engineering, Civil Engineering + CS(Northeastern only) GPA, Rank, and Test Scores
Unweighted HS GPA: 3.96
Weighted HS GPA: 4.52
Class Rank: Non-ranking
ACT/SAT Scores: 1590 SAT (800 R/W, 790 M)
List your HS coursework
(Indicate advanced level, such as AP, IB, AICE, A-level, or college, courses as well as specifics in each subject)
English: AP English Language and Composition (5), AP Seminar, AP English Literature and Composition
Math: Honors Precalculus, AP Calculus BC (5), Multivariable Calculus
Science: Honors Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, AP Physics 1 (5), AP Physics C
History and social studies: AP Human Geography, AP World History, AP US History (5), AP Government, AP Macroeconomics
Language other than English: French I/II/III AAC
Visual or performing arts: N/A
Other academic courses: AP Computer Science A/Principles (both 5 on exam), Computer Science III (Beyond AP level CS credit in my district), Engineering Design & Presentation I (Beyond AP level engineering credit in my district), Engineering Science (AP-level engineering credit in my district)
Awards
Congressional App Challenge - National/Regional/School recognition
AP Scholar with Distinction
School Honor Roll Extracurriculars (Include leadership, summer activities, competitions, volunteering, and work experience)
Congressional App Challenge - Presented at #HouseOfCode
Research on state “Move Over” laws under leading transportation professor - will be presenting at TRB 2025, a national conference
Robotics - Our team went to FRC Worlds, could only participate for one year due to the fact I had to move out in 10th grade
Some clubs (Sci Oly (2 yr), Research Club (1 yr), Computer Science Club (2 yr))
Family Responsibilities - Spent a significant amount of time tutoring younger sister/brother and helping clean Essays/LORs/Other (Optionally, guess how strong these are and include any other relevant information or circumstances.)
LORs (different schools): AP English Language & Composition Teacher (MIT/Caltech only) (strong), AP Calculus BC/Multivariable Calculus Teacher (good), APCSA/CS 3 teacher (good), Professor who I’m doing research under (very strong)
(AP Calc/Multivar teacher is only doing ones where I need two teacher LOR’s)
Essays/Extenuating Circumstances:
Extenuating Circumstances: parents divorced, lived with mother under schizophrenia for first 2 years of high school, which affected financial circumstances in multiple instances, and forced me to move for safety concerns
Essays: Common App Essay is about growth in social interaction (got help from Ivy League professor) Schools (List of colleges by your initial chance estimate; designate if applying ED/EA/RD; if unsure, leave them unclassified)
Northeastern - EA (Civil + CS)
Georgia Tech - EA
UT Austin - EA
UW Madison - EA
UIUC - EA
MIT - EA
UMichigan - EA
Purdue - EA
CU Boulder - EA
Texas A&M - RD
UChicago - RD (Neuro+CS)
USC - RD
Yale - RD
Stanford - RD
Cornell - RD
Caltech - RD
Not sure, I haven’t plugged my profile into the net price calculator yet, since i don’t currently have access to my parents’ tax records. Does it significantly impact admissions?
Most colleges do not consider financial need in admission.
However, if the net price is too expensive, then you are aiming for a large-enough merit scholarship (not just admission) to make the school affordable. So a school that can be likely or safety for admission may be a reach for you if the needed merit scholarship is a reach.
Adding to what @ucbalumnus said, most of the schools on your list do not have merit scholarships. Many of the private schools offer great financial aid if you qualify.
The budget issue is something you should work out with your parents sooner rather than later. Getting in a school to only then finding out you can’t afford it would be a tough pill to swallow.
Find out what your parents can afford. No pony in applying to an $80k school if they only are willing to pay $30k abd then you don’t have anywhere to attend no matter the acceptances.
Deferred from MIT, Accepted to USF (other school I applied to), TAMU, and Purdue, deferred from UT
My dad says he’s fine with anything up to $60k/year in terms of net cost, not just tuition tho
Did some extra things for presentation (developing an llm based chatbot that was showcased) that weren’t mentioned in common app for ea, but for rd yes (also working job for major structural engineering organization in TX, which was mentioned))
Sr. Year Grades Great (96+ in all classes) - W GPA is now 4.55 (doesn’t change much imo)
Overall, I don’t think this changes much besides my EC strength, but lmk!
Deferred UMichigan, but that’s fine, I’m really more worried about Georgia Tech. Additionally, I think the updates I talked about (talking with policy-makers, attracting people for a new platform I developed), the passion project I’m pursuing, the new job I’m working should definitely help, alongside great grades first semester should definitely help
It might impact admissions at need aware schools IF you need a lot of need based financial aid.
But it most certainly will affect your ability to attend if your family can NOT pay your net costs to attend. IOW…you have yo-yo be able to afford the costs to attend.
Yes, 3.75 college GPA for auto admit to major in ETAM. Otherwise competitive for remaining space (of which there is little or none for computer science or computer engineering after auto admits are admitted).
Purdue has a similar system, but with a 3.2 auto admit college GPA.